THA not to blame for lay-offs at Grafton

[Newday newspaper article]

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 20 December 2002

Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), Orville London said yesterday the THA would not accept the blame for the decision by the Grafton Beach Resort to lay-off 120 workers and shut down its winter season business.

Grafton, owned by business magnate Ishwar Galbaransingh, was closed down for three weeks because of cases of food poisoning among guests. It blamed the THA for its decision to lay-off the workers because of he long time taken by THA Division of Health to conclude its investigations.

Grafton said at the time of the incident, the resort was fully booked until January 6 and argued that if the matter was dealt with in keeping with international practices, it would have been able to save business and avoid lay-offs. London said he was concerned about the lay-offs, but is not willing to accept Grafton's view of the matter. "The THA does not intend to be made a scapegoat in this impasse" London said.

He said that the decision to close Grafton was made by the management of the hotel "of its own accord".

He said the THA was unaware of the criteria used by the management to allow the Le Gran Courland Hotel and Spa to remain open, when the incidents of illness were evident to a greater degree in the property which was left open.

London said within the last 48 hours, THA Secretary for Tourism, Neil Wilson contacted the Chief Medical Officer in the Ministry of Health, Dr Rawle Edwards who promised that by today officers of the Ministry would provide another report to allow the Assembly to make a definite statement. London added that " the THA's legal advice seems to indicate that the Assembly does not have the legal authority to close or order the closure of an entire hotel."

He said the reports the THA has seen to date "have been inconclusive, even contradictory".

"It would have been irresponsible for the Assembly to have made a definitive pronouncement before the CMO (Chief Medical Officer) submits his report" the Chief Secretary said.

Prime Minister P.Manning had indicated to reporters two weeks ago that he was not overly concerned with the situation at Grafton, since it was an isolated event.

He said he did not envision a negative impact from travel agencies, noting that reports had been submitted to them about the incidents at the hotel.

Manning chairs a Tourism Planning Committee that meets in Tobago every two weeks. The committee also includes London, Wilson and Rene Seepersadsingh who is President of the Tobago-arm of TTHTA and executive director of Grafton and Le Gran Courland.

The committee was scheduled to meet either yesterday or today but Newsday has learnt that all remaining meetings for the year have been cancelled.